Try this in B1, and copy down as needed:

=IF(COUNTIF($A$1:A1,A1)1,"This item has already been entered","")

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HTH,

RD

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Please keep all correspondence within the NewsGroup, so all may benefit !
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"Pat" wrote in message
...
example:

A1 = "car" B1 =
A2 = "lorry" B2 =
A3 = "tractor" B3 =
A4 = "bus" B4 =
A5 = "tractor" B5 = "this item has already been entered"


I need a formula to be entered into col"B" to give the message described.
Any suggestion?

Ta